🏆 HONORABLE MENTION Class ring school ID assistance needed

B

Batch

Full Member
Apr 18, 2004
181
155
Kusel County
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hello everyone!

This is the first "real" ring I ever found detecting...it is a lady's ring, 10k yellow gold with the stone set in silver-colored metal, and quite nicely made. I found it at an old high school athletic field in Collinsville, Illinois back in 1999 or 2000. The city high school had long since moved to a modern building (the original dated from the early 1900's) and the grounds had been sold to a private school. I have been trying to find the school/owner on-n-off since that time with no success whatsoever. I just "refound" the ring in a box of stuff this evening and thought I'd try again.

My first problem comes from dating the ring itself. I don't know if it is 1983 or 1938...there is only one number on each side of the stone (the photos hopefully make this clearer). Then comes the problem of the school itself. I could only find two "Colonial Christian High" schools...one in Indiana and one in Florida. Neither was in existence in 1938 and only the one in Homestead Florida was in existence in 1983...and the one in Homestead had no graduates with the initials in the ring!

I am hoping someone can review my research and possibly give me a definitive answer as to the date of the ring (I think 1983) and also some other "Colonial Christian High" schools somewhere. Maybe one of you can identify the ring manufacturer as well. Then I could go through them for an ID. I also attached pictures of the markings on the inside of the band. One shows the kt stamp with copyright symbol (I think) and the other shows the last initial (an "H") which looks like it has some type of smaller overstamp on it.

Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Happy hunting everyone!

Batch
 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

Attachments

  • class ring.jpg
    class ring.jpg
    109.4 KB · Views: 291
  • class ring1.jpg
    class ring1.jpg
    47.5 KB · Views: 249
  • class ring2.jpg
    class ring2.jpg
    41.5 KB · Views: 265
  • ring4.jpg
    ring4.jpg
    31.9 KB · Views: 267
  • ring5.jpg
    ring5.jpg
    28.2 KB · Views: 273
Last edited:
Creskol, thanks for the inputs. I'll check out the SC and GA ones next week on my days off, the other two have been ruled out already. What is your guess (educated or otherwise <smile>)...1938 or 1983?

Thank you again!

Batch
 

based on the letter style, I think I would try 1983 first.
 

I'm a newbie and I don't see my first attempt at a reply, so here goes again.
The letters "JH" in the ring may be the Herff Jones logo. They are less well known high school and college ring makers. Check out their web site: https://www.herffjones.com/hsrings
Their customer service people may be able to help you identify the school and year. Good luck!
 

Artifact,

Welcome to t-net and metal detecting! I'm persuing a lead even as I write but if it ends up a deadend I will certainly check out Herff Jones. I was pointed in the direction of a Colonial Christian ACADEMY in a town close to where I found the ring. I looked up graduates for 1983 and there happened to be one with matching initials...how cool is that!? I plan to give the school a call later this afternoon to see if they will contact that person (who still lives in the local area) on my behalf. I'll keep ya'll up to date.

Thanks again Artifact...jump in anytime!

Batch
 

Update: The school is no longer in existence however I am now trying to contact the possible owner directly.

Batch
 

Update # 2: I've left a "FaceBook" message for the possible owner but have not heard anything...it has been about a month. I also registered with "classmates.com" an left a message that way as well...still no reply. I don't think either message has been read. I will try a phone call soon to the number listed on the internet and see if that produces results. It seems a shame to come so close to returning this and not be able to follow through.

Happy New Year to All!

Batch
 

Don't you get that warm fuzzy feeling just trying to get it back to it's rightfull owner? I alway's do,
Good Job and good luck................................HH
 

You may also want to check out: classringfinder.com too. Good luck in finding the owner. It can be rewarding in many ways when you do.
 

For my 2 cents worth.... I'd take the ring to a Jewelry store that sells class rings and ask them.... IMO the lettering style suggests 1983..Would like to hear an update!!!!
 

UPDATE #3

OK, I never received responses to my Facebook or Classmates posts and the phone numbers I had were either disconnected or no longer available. To tell you the truth I was getting a bit discouraged! However I made a last ditch "Hail Mary" last week and had a letter published in a local paper in the area where I thought the owner may live...low-n-behold, I think we have a winner! I am in email contact with the possible owner as of today and if she confirms ownership to my satisfaction, I'll mail it off in the next day or two and she'll have it back in a week or so. After 12+ years of my having it (and she says about 30 since she lost it), it is about time!

I'll let ya'll know what happens next...when it happens <smile>

Happy hunting,

Batch
 

You are to be commended for your efforts! I hope it all works out.
 

UPDATE#4

Well, the ring is on its way to the rightful owner...only took 12 +years! She told me the story of how it was lost (minor editing)...

"I really didn't have it that long, when it got lost. My boyfriend at the time, which is now my husband, wore it around his neck on a chain. He went to Son-Life school his senior year (1984). They were playing football in the field at school one day. That is when he noticed it was lost."

The football field where he noticed it lost (not the same school the ring's owner attended) is where I found it some 16-odd years later! I've asked for a photo of the ring on her finger and I'll post it here if I get it. Thanks to everyone for their help...without the TreasureNet community I'm not sure the ring would have ever found its way home.

Happy huntng to all and to all a Goodnight,

Batch
 

Honorable Mention Nomination all the way! Great job on a great story!
 

By the way .. Which school did it end up being from. You mentioned a Colonial Christian Academy, but the ring says CC High. Maybe I overlooked it in the posts somewhere .. Just curious.. Thanks!
I put my nomination for Honorable Mention in.
 

Thank you all for the "Honorable Mention" nominations!

I confirmed with the owner the correct school name was "Colonial Christian Academy" in Granite City Illinois. The school is no longer in existence. I can only guess the ring manufacturer couldn't fit "ACADEMY" on such a small ring and substituted "High". Another forum member did a bit of digging under just "Colonial Christian" and suggested the Granite City school which is only 10 miles or so from the "find" site. From Classmates.com I was able to confirm a graduate with the correct initials...then it just became a matter of establishing contact...which took a while <smile>.

Thank you again for all your help!

Batch
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Gold Wedding Ring Found and Returned

⬅️ Previous Thread

SILVER AND PLATINUM CLASS RING LOST FOR 30 YEARS RETURNED!!! MUST SEE!!!

Next Thread ➡️

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Metal Detecting Stuff

Latest Discussions

Back
Top